Octopus stir-fry restaurant in Yuseong, Daejeon: Seommaeul

After work, I went to Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum (섬마을 아구찜&낙지볶음) in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, for octopus stir-fry. The two of us had an order for two plus ppyeo haejangguk (pork bone hangover soup), and the octopus's tender texture was especially memorable.

What are the parking and space for family meals like?

It was large enough that the whole building felt like the restaurant. It was a little far from home, but the dedicated parking lot made parking easy.

The interior was generally clean, and when I visited, I did not notice any food smells, so the meal felt comfortable. There were many tables and rooms, so I thought it would also work for a family meal or group dinner.

Where is it, and what are the opening hours?

The address is 1F, 1163 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. According to the original post, the hours are Monday through Saturday, 11:00–21:30, with a break time of 15:00–17:00 and last order at 20:30. It is listed as regularly closed every Sunday.

There was also sikhye, a sweet rice drink, for a sweet finish after the meal.

What did we order for two, and how much was it?

We ordered octopus stir-fry for two for ₩28,000, one ppyeo haejangguk for ₩10,000, and one soft drink for ₩1,500, for a total of ₩39,500. The ₩1,500 price for the soft drink especially caught my eye.

I was told that it comes in the standard seasoning unless you choose a spice level separately. We ordered the standard seasoning too. If spicy food feels like too much, you can order the mild version.

What side dishes come with the octopus stir-fry?

The basic side dishes were seasoned shredded seaweed, bean sprouts, salad, and stir-fried fish cake. The seaweed and bean sprouts were good for mixing with the octopus stir-fry, while the salad and fish cake eased the spiciness.

The stir-fried fish cake was moderately sweet and savory. The cabbage salad was well drained, so the black sesame dressing did not become watery.

How spicy is the standard octopus stir-fry, and what is the texture like?

The octopus pieces were plump, and the portion felt generous. I cut them into easy-to-eat pieces.

I ladled a generous serving of octopus stir-fry over rice and mixed it in. I added bean sprouts and seasoned shredded seaweed too, and to my taste, it worked better with both.

The standard seasoning felt slightly spicy on its own, but less spicy when mixed with rice. For me, it was comfortably easy to eat that way.

Above all, the octopus was tender rather than chewy. It was easy to eat, without a tough texture that required a lot of chewing.

How was the steamed egg that came with it?

Steamed egg came with the meal too. It had plenty of green onion and carrot and was soft and fluffy. The portion was right for two to share as a side, and after eating the octopus stir-fry first, we finished all of the steamed egg too.

How was the extra order of ppyeo haejangguk?

The ppyeo haejangguk arrived in a ttukbaegi, a Korean earthenware pot, and bubbled away for a while. The meat on the bones was tender and came off easily.

There was plenty of meat on the bones, and the siraegi, dried radish greens, were tender rather than tough. I thought it would make a filling lunch on its own.

The broth was not overpowering; it felt deep and refreshing. A little spiciness gradually came through as I ate, which kept me reaching for more.

In this meal, I liked the tender octopus and the standard seasoning most, since it felt less intense when mixed with rice. With easy parking plus tables and rooms, I would consider it for a family meal next time.